Glossary
Terms starting with H
271 definitions · page 1 of 5.
- H-COAL PROCESS
- A means of making coal cleaner so it will produce less ash and less sulfur emissions.
- H-Y antigen
- The histocompatibility Y-antigen, a protein found on the cell surfaces of male mammals.
- H.A. information
- An abbreviation for "this year" or hoc anno.
- Habanero chillies
- Habanero chillies are hot, hot, hot! There's an official heat scale for chillies known as the Scoville scale, developed by Wilbur Scoville in 1912. To give you an idea of the range of heat in an habanero: a sweet pepper scores 0 on the scale, jalapeño and…
- Habeas Corpus ad Subjiciendum information
- The name of the writ issued by a court addressed to the officer having custody of a prisoner for the purpose of bringing the prisoner to a court to test whether he is restrained of his liberty by due process.
- Habeas Corpus information
- A prisoner may bring his case to a court on a writ of habeas corpus in order to test whether he is restrained of his liberty by due process.
- Habendum Clause information
- In real estate, or real property transfer documents, such as a deed, the habendum clause is that portion of the deed that defines the type or extent of the property interest being granted. Most habendum clauses typically begin with the phrase "to have and to…
- Habit information
- A known propensity to behave the same way to the same stimulus. Customary conduct. Habit may be the subject of admissible evidence.
- Habitability information
- This refers to the condition or livability of a dwelling, especially with respect to health and safety to the tenants.
- habitable zone (or ecosphere)
- the zone around a star in which a planet can maintain liquid water on its surface
- HACCP
- -( Hazard analysis control point system) It helps ensure food handling errors do not occur and that safe food is served to your customers.
- HACKER INSURANCE
- A coverage that protects businesses engaged in electronic commerce from losses caused by hackers.
- Haddock
- A white sea-fish similar to cod (and subject to the same problems of overfishing). It has flaky flesh, is available fresh or frozen, whole or as steaks and fillets. It can be cooked just like cod - poached, baked, fried or grilled, and served with or without…
- Hadron
- A particle made of strongly-interacting constituents (quarks and/or gluons). These include the meson and baryons. Such particles participate in residual strong interactions.
- haemoglobin (hb)
- The oxygen-transporting blood cell protein in most animals.
- haemophilia
- A disease in which the blood fails to clot. The most common form, primarily affecting males, is caused by a mutation in a gene coding for a clotting protein (factor VIII) inherited as an X-linked recessive phenotype.
- Haggis
- A dish that strikes fear in the squeamish, haggis is a traditional Scottish sausage, made of a sheep's stomach stuffed with the diced sheep's liver, lungs and heart, oatmeal, onion, suet and seasonings. Most haggis is part-cooked before being sold and needs…
- Hague Convention information
- In international law, there are a collection of international agreements on various broad issues referred to as the Hague Convention. These treaties are made by several countries for the purpose of standardizing some legal procedures between nations. There…
- Hake
- The various fish that come under the banner 'hake' are deep-sea members of the cod family and are popular throughout Europe and America. Hake is quite a mild fish, having a more subtle flavour than cod. In France it's known as 'saumon blanc', while in the US…
- half cadence
- An intermediate cadence, usually on the dominant chord, within a musical period.
- half step
- (semitone) The interval between any two adjacent notes on a keyboard; the smallest interval in common use in Western music.
- half-chromatid conversion
- A type of gene conversion that is inferred from the existence of non-identical sister spores in a fungal octad showing a non-Mendelian allele ratio.
- Halfway House information
- A house for prisoners or ill persons that serves as a transition residence between prison/hospital and independence. This is a means to facilitate persons moving from highly regimented living to more normal life.
- Halibut
- By far the largest of all flatfish, halibut is available mostly in steaks, fillets and cutlets. Its firm, meaty white flesh has a delicious flavour but, as it can dry out quite easily, it needs careful cooking and is probably best prepared with plenty of…
- Hall Surround Mode
- One of several different modes in audio receivers and systems to shape sound to more closely resemble a live performance. Hall setting gives the spacious effect of a concert hall when playing stereo (but not mono) material.
- halo
- the outer region of a galaxy; contains globular clusters, a few stray stars, and dark matter
- halter top
- A sleeveless bodice with a high choke or wrap neck that may be backless.
- Halva
- There are numerous forms of halva, which is basically a ‘sweetmeat’ or dessert depending on which version you’re eating. The Middle Eastern sweet known as halva is made from ground roasted sesame seeds and honey. It's usually made in a slab and is often…
- Handicap
- A race in which the racing secretary assigns various weights to horses in an attempt to equalize their ability. The best horse in the race carries the most weight.
- Handle
- The sum of all money wagered at a video lottery terminal. See also 'Net Machine Income' below.
- hankerchief style
- The hem of a blouse or skirt that is gently jagged to form flowing points.
- haplodiploidy
- The sex-determining mechanism found in some insect groups among which males are haploid and females are diploid
- haploid
- The state of having one copy of each chromosome per nucleus or cell. A cell having one chromosome set, or an organism composed of such cells.
- haploidization
- Production of a haploid from a diploid by progressive chromosome loss.
- haplotype
- A set of closely linked genetic markers present on one chromosome which tend to be inherited together (not easily separable by recombination). Some haplotypes may be in linkage disequilibrium.
- Harassment information
- This is defined as words, conduct, or actions directed at a specific person that annoys, alarms, or causes emotional distress, for no legitimate purpose. Harassment is actionable as a civil wrong.
- HARD MARKET
- A seller’s market in which insurance is expensive and in short supply. (See Property/casualty insurance cycle)
- Hardship Drivers License information
- This refers to the restoration of a lost driving privilege given to relieve a hardship. In this way, a person disqualified from driving because of being caught too many times speeding may receive a limited hardship license to drive back and forth to work or…
- Hardship information
- Difficulty as in suffering and adversity. Up against it. In zoning matters, a property in a restricted zone may be allowed to operate at variance with the zone because of a severe hardship.
- Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium
- The stable frequency distribution of genotypes, AA, Aa, and aa, in the proportions p2, 2pq, and q2 respectively (where p and q are the frequencies of the alleles, A and a) that is a consequence of random mating in the absence of mutation, migration, natural…
- Harissa
- This fiery North African pepper paste is orange-red in colour and usually served with couscous. It’s a mix of dried red chillies, garlic, caraway seeds, ground cumin and coriander, tomato purée, salt and olive oil. It can be used as a condiment or as an…
- harlequin chromosome
- Sister chromatids that stain differently, so that one appears dark and the other light (harlequin-like).
- Harm information
- Damages, or the loss and detriment in fact to a person as a result of any cause.
- harmonic
- (1) In acoustics, a synonym for overtone or partial; (2) in string playing, a high-pitched, whistling tone made by bowing a lightly stopped string. harmonic minor scale The scale that results from flatting the third and sixth degrees of the major scale…
- Harmonic Distortion
- A deviation from the original signal caused by the presence of harmonic frequencies not in the original signal. Harmonic distortion is supplied as a percentage. The smaller the percentage figure, the better. One percent THD is considered to be the minimum…
- harmonize
- To provide a melody with a chordal accompaniment.
- harmony
- (1) In general, the simultaneous aspects of music; (2) specifically, the simultaneous playing of two or more different sounds.
- harpsichord
- A Baroque keyboard instrument in which the strings are plucked by quills.
- HAT medium
- A selection medium for hybrid cell lines; contains hypoxanthine; aminopterin; thymidine. Only cell lines expressing both hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl transferase (HPRT+) and thymidine kinase (TK+) can survive in this medium. Aminopterin inhibits de novo…
- Hazard information
- A risk or peril. A danger hovering about a relation which may develop into an actual harm.
- Hazelnut
- A type of hard-shelled nut with an oval or round kernel, also known as a filbert. Hazelnuts are high in dietary fibre. Turkey is a major supplier of hazelnuts, along with Spain and Italy, but they do grow wild in the hedgerows around Britain. Cobnuts, which…
- head
- The beginning of a theme.
- Head of Household information
- This is a preferential tax filing status under the internal revenue code, most commonly, and refers to the individual that is actually the one who supports others present. The support must be by virtue of a moral or legal obligation and not simply support…
- Headnote information
- A brief summary that the publisher of casebooks will often insert at the head, or beginning, of the published opinion, that outlines an issue found within. The publisher will offer an index of all headnote topics that is a very valued aid when doing legal…
- Health Maintenance Organization HMO
- An HMO is a means of providing healthcare to persons enrolled in the health insurance program or plan sponsoring the HMO. The efforts of participating healthcare providers and physicians are joined. The providers agree to furnish care to the enrolled persons…
- Healthcare Directive information
- A written statement of a person directing that certain medical procedures are authorized to be withheld or accepted upon some future event, including the unavailability or incompetence of the writer.
- Healthcare Proxy information
- A person designated by another to make certain medical decisions upon some future event, including the unavailability or incompetence of the writer.
- Hearing information
- A court proceeding in which both parties are heard and presided over by a judge.
- Hearsay information
- An out of court statement of a non party, other than the one testifying as to the statement, sought to be admitted into evidence, as proof of the matter asserted in the out of court statement. Hearsay is ordinarily not admissible evidence, but there are at…
- HEAT BALANCE
- The outdoor temperature at which a building's internal heat gain (from people, lights and machines) is equal to the heat loss through windows, roof and walls.